I shared a picture of a young Gwich’in woman, Quannah Potts, on the Athabascan Woman Blog Facebook page. Quannah Potts says, “This year, I was blessed with shooting my first caribou and our future generations should have the same privilege of being able to hunt and live their ways of life.”
Someone said, “Although using rifles and snowmobiles, ATVs and the like is hardly ‘traditional’…..”
I responded by thanking him for his comment… It brings to light one of the reason I write and share on my blog. The act of spending time on the land and providing for her family is traditional. The tradition of giving parts of the caribou from first catches to Elders or other families is traditional. Alaska Native would not have survived 10,000+ years if we were not adaptable. We moved around on the land with the seasons and the availability of plants, animals, currents, cycles and conditions. We were not static people living in one certain way. I would not expect people to be driving around by horse and buggy from a century+ ago. The only people who can critique Quannah on whether or not she is traditional is her mother, grandparents and community Elders.
I’ve had conversations about what is traditional and contemporary. I say living our ways of life is traditional whether or not we use contemporary tools.
When we give our first catch to Elders or other family members despite shooting with a rifle – that’s traditional.
When we sometimes sing and dance despite it being with a fiddle – that’s traditional.
When we celebrate a memorial potlatch despite it being in a school gym vs. a community hall – that’s traditional.
When we pick berries despite using an ATV or boat – that’s traditional.
When my family fishes despite using a commercial fish net vs. a fish trap – that’s traditional.
When I bead slipper tops on smoked moose skin despite being on hard bottom moccasins – that’s traditional.
When I use beads in my beadwork introduced in the past couple of centuries despite it not being quills – that’s traditional.
When I learn and share the Denaakk’e language despite being on a paper book, by video or audio recording – that’s traditional.
When I share stories despite it being on a blog vs. oratory – that’s traditional.
What would you add? We need to continue sharing our perspectives, stories, culture, language and ways of life. Enaa baasee’.
